This time of year, many brands are deep into the annual brand planning cycle. By now, many of us have already read about the reported decline in DTC spend over the last two years: DTC investment declined 4.7% between 2016 and 2017, the first decline since 2011. Yet despite the overall decline, TV’s share of DTC spending continues to climb, accounting for more than 70% of DTC investment in 2017, and reaching an all-time high of $4.3 billion.* More than anything else, these shifts in DTC signal that direct-to-consumer spending is headed into a state of flux, with continued change and volatility expected in the coming years.

This time of year, many brands are deep into the annual brand planning cycle. By now, many of us have already read about the reported decline in DTC spend over the last two years: DTC investment declined 4.7% between 2016 and 2017, the first decline since 2011. Yet despite the overall decline, TV’s share of DTC spending continues to climb, accounting for more than 70% of DTC investment in 2017, and reaching an all-time high of $4.3 billion.* More than anything else, these shifts in DTC signal that direct-to-consumer spending is headed into a state of flux, with continued change and volatility expected in the coming years.